Els family on nostalgic trip to Junior World

Torrey Pines, CA_7/12/13_Junior World Media Day assignment 2 .Jovan Rebula, 15 of South Africa tees off the 4th hole of Torrey Pines South Golf Course Friday during Media Day for the Callaway Golf Junior World Championship. Misael Virgen/UT San Diego
Misael Virgen

Torrey Pines, CA_7/12/13_Junior World Media Day assignment 2 .Jovan Rebula, 15 of South Africa tees off the 4th hole of Torrey Pines South Golf Course Friday during Media Day for the Callaway Golf Junior World Championship. Misael Virgen/UT San Diego

In virtually every story that is written about Rebula, it is mentioned that he is the nephew of Els. Rebula insists that he doesn’t mind that, though he wants to be recognized for his own accomplishments.

“I’m one person and Ernie is a completely different person,” he said. “People tell me, ‘Do this like Ernie; putt like Ernie; hit the ball like Ernie.’ I don’t mind that people compare me to Ernie, but I’m not Ernie.”

Uncle and nephew get to play a lot together when Els comes home each December, and Neels Els certainly sees similarities in their swings. That may be due to the fact that Rebula has never had a swing coach beyond his grandfather because the family is vehemently against technical coaching. Rebula has never had a formal lesson.

“You can start buggering around with your swing … there are a lot of coaches who have made so many mistakes,” Neels Els said. “There are a lot of coaches who have destroyed good golfers. I don’t want to call out names, but there are huge golfers that just … lost it.”

At 70, Neels Els keeps busy by running his trucking business in South Africa, and he sees his grandson almost daily. To now be in San Diego, nearly 30 years after his son first tasted international success, is something extraordinary.

“I’m saying thank you to a higher power,” he said. “For me, this is the ultimate. Unbelievable.”